Electromagnetic receptacle for lamps



Jan. 4, 1949. B. w. BLANCHARD, JR 2,458,138

ELECTROMAGNETIC RECEPTACLE FOR LAMPS Filed June 25, 1945 Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC RECEPTACLE FOR LAMPS Benjamin Waite Blanchard, Jr., Pine Hill, N. J.

Application June 25, 1945, Serial No. 601,362

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in electro-magnetic receptacles for lamps, and has for one of its objects to provide an exceedingly simple and efiective device of this character that may be readily connected to a source of electric supply, particularly the ignition and/or lighting systems of an automobile, and magnetically afiixed to a metallic supporting member.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the electro-magnetic receptacle for lamps that it will be shock-proof to a person handling the same and also uneffected by outside moisture, especially rain and snow, and electrically conductive articles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electro-magnetic receptacle for lamps wherein the el-ectromagnet is electrically independent of the shell or casing and connected in parallel with the spring contacts for the lamp whereby a person may carry the device about without the possibility of receiving an electrical shock.

A still further object of this invention is to provide improved means for combining the electro-magnet and the spring contacts in a unitary inside structure and including novel means for fastening the unit inside of the shell or casing.

With the above and other objects in View this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the complete assembly of the electro-magnetic receptacle for lamps.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the receptacle per se, on about the line 22 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the electromagnet, spring contacts and hanger of the inside unit, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of said inside unit.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied l0 represents a hollow casing or shell of any suitable material fashioned to provide a body ll of greatest diameter, a waist 12 of slightly smaller or an intermediate diameter and a neck l3 of still further restricted and smallest diameter. The casing or shell is open from end to end and between the body and Waist is an annular shoulder 14 while between the waist I2 and the neck I3 is an annular ledge IS.

The inside unit consists, generally, of an electro-magnet, spring contacts and a hanger. The electro-magnet is illustrated as comprising an iron core 16, a coil or winding ll of enameled wire, a magnetic head I8 and a nonmagnetic disc I9. Supplementary to the above mentioned elements is an inner insulating sheet or disc 20 between the coil and the magnetic head, an outer insulating sheet or disc 2| on the outer face of said head, and a covering or jacket 22 surrounding the coil or winding H.

A U-shaped hanger 23 is mounted on the outer insulating sheet 2| and is secured to the magnetic head l8 by any suitable fastening means 24 so that neither the hanger nor fastening means is electrically connected with any current. The ends of the hanger 23 project outwardly and have apertures 25, the walls of which are screw threaded for a purpose to be presently described. Also mounted on the outer insulating sheet 2| are two spaced electric conductive spring contacts 26 and 21, and these are positioned on opposite sides of the bridge of the hanger 23 with their free ends projecting in opposite directions and overlying the said bridge of the hanger. Said spring contacts 26 and 21 are secured to the magnetic head It! by the respective fastening means 28 and 29 which pass all the way through said magnetic head for connection with opposite ends of the coil or Winding H. For purposes of illustration said fastening means are shown as securing bus strips 30 and 3|, respectively, Fig. 3, in place. The bus strip 30 is electrically connected to the inner end of the coil or winding while the bus strip 3| is electrically connected to the outer end of said coil or winding. It is obvious that other ways can be utilized for providing the electrical connections between opposite ends of the coils or winding and the spring contacts, for example, the ends of the wire of the coil can be projected through the parts and secured to said spring contacts.

The inside unit described above is inserted into the body until the outer insulating sheet 2| contacts the shoulder 14. Screws 32 are then projected through holes in the ledge l5 and into the threaded apertures in the hanger 23 which will draw the inside unit tightly into the casing or shell where it will be firmly held with the spring contacts 26 and 21 in alignment with the opening 3 through the neck l3. Previous to the inside unit being assembled in the casing, the wires or conductors 33 and 34, of the flexible cord 35, are attached to the respective spring contacts 26 and 2? and the cord projects through a hole in the side of the casing. To the outer ends of said wires 33 and 34 are attached suitable electrical connectors 36, such as spring clamps.

An electric two-point contact lamp or bulb 37 of well known construction is fitted into the neck 53, which has bayonet slots 38 to receive the pins on the side of the lamp base, and the pair of terminal contacts on said lamp are engaged with the spring contacts 25 and 21 for completing a circuit through the lamp filament-. Any suitable :electroanagnetincluding an enameled wire coil and a hanger and a pair of spring contacts insunected with opposite poles of a source of current,

one with the hot side and the other with the ground or return side. This will complete a light circuit through one of the conductors, as 33, the spring contact 26, the terminal contacts and filament of the lamp 31, the other spring contact 27 and the other conductor 34. Simultaneously a magnet circuit will be completed through one of the conductors, as 33, the spring contact 28, fastening means 28, the bus strip 30, the coil or winding ii, the bus strip 3|, fastening means 29, the spring contact 21 and the conductor 34, thereby energizing the electro-magnet so that the lamp receptacle, through the core l 6" only, will magnetically adhere to any metallic surface against which the device is placed. Since both the light and magnet'circuits are insulated from the casing, the receptacle may be picked up and carried about without any fear of receiving an electrical 'shock due to grounding through a persons body,

and further, should any electric conductive substance come in contact with the casing and a grounded article, no short circuit will occur that lated from each other and electrically connected to opposite ends of the coil of the electro-magnet, means engaging: the ledge of the casing and the hanger of the inside unit to draw the latter against the shoulder of the casing and hold said inside unit within the casing so that the spring contacts are in alignment withthe neck to permit the terminal contacts of a lamp toengage said spring contacts when the lamp is mounted in the neck, and conductors to supply current directly to the spring contacts and through them to the coil of the electro-magnet.

- 2. In an electro-magnetic receptacle for lamps, a tubular casing open from end to end and fashioned to provide a ledge and shoulder in vertically spaced relation, an inside unit comprising an electro magnetincluding a coil surrounding a core which projectsbelow said coil and a hanger, and a pair of spring contacts insulated from eachv other and electrically Connected with the coil, screws projected through the ledge of the casing and threaded into the hanger to draw a portion of the inside unit against the shoulder andleave the outer end of the magnet core protrudingbelow the casing, and conductors connected to the spring contacts.

BENJAMIN .WAITE BLANCHARD, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,520,473 Kleckner Dec. 23, 1924 1,670,566 Brown May 22, 1928 

